PSG wrapped up the 2022-23 Ligue 1 title on Saturday. It is their second consecutive year winning it, and their stars, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, have achieved individual milestones along the way.
Kylian Mbappe won this season’s Ligue 1 Player of the Season award, while Lionel Messi passed Cristiano Ronaldo in yet another football achievement.
Elsewhere in Marseille, Chancel Mbemba, who was selected by our SBOTOP team as one of the top surprise packages, was recognised as the best African Ligue 1 player of the season. At the same time, they’re evaluating their managerial options ahead of the summer, just like AS Monaco and Nice.
Read more below for the latest Ligue 1 2023 updates.
All smiles for Mbappe and Messi
For the fourth consecutive time, Kylian Mbappe is the winner of the Ligue 1 Player of the Season award, breaking the record he shared with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who won it three times.
During his acceptance speech, Mbappe took the time to thank everyone in the club, including his co-star, Lionel Messi, who was also nominated for this award.
“Of course, I thank Leo, who has helped me a lot along with all the players,” said Mbappe.
Mbappe has been undoubtedly the best player in Ligue 1 this season, as he currently leads the league in goal contributions with 32. With 28 Ligue 1 goals, Mbappe can also win the Golden Boot trophy, as he holds a one-goal lead over Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette.
The 24-year-old forward also confirmed that he’ll stay in the French capital next season amid interest from rival clubs. Mbappe has one year left on his current deal with PSG, and he has been consistently linked with a blockbuster move to Real Madrid over the past year.
Lionel Messi, on the other hand, scored his 496th goal in Europe, passing Cristiano Ronaldo (495) in their 1-1 draw against Strasbourg. That was enough for the Parisiens to win their second Ligue 1 title in the last three years.
Like Mbappe, Messi has been linked with a move away from PSG. He has the option of following Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia, or he can go back to Barcelona or even join the MLS.
Messi has yet to make his move, but the ball is in his hands.
Mbemba wins prestigious individual award
Chancel Mbemba became the first defender to win the Marc Vivien-Foe prize for the best African Ligue 1 player of the season.
He is the first Marseille player since Andre Ayew to have won this award since 2015. The DR Congo native defied the Ligue 1 2023 odds by beating out the likes of Seko Fofana (RC Lens) and Terem Moffi (Nice) in the process.
The 28-year-old was a key cog for Marseille’s backline, helping the team only concede 39 goals in 37 league matches so far. He is also the team’s second-leading scorer with seven goals, with the majority of them coming from set-pieces, which is impressive for a defender.
Mbemba joined Marseille on a free transfer from Porto last summer, and it’s safe to say that he has been a bargain.
Coaching updates from Nice, AS Monaco, and Marseille
Nice and AS Monaco are aiming to hire a new coach, while Marseille are trying to lock down their own via a new extension.
We have already mentioned that Nice are keeping tabs on Graham Potter, and reports from France revealed that the former Chelsea boss is now the favourite to replace interim manager Didier Digard.
Nice are out of European contention, and their top management, particularly INEOS sports director David Brailsford, is pushing for Potter to be the man who can take them to the next level.
Potter endured a rough time at Stamford Bridge this season, but he still maintains a good reputation as a manager, except if you’re a Chelsea fan.
AS Monaco, meanwhile, are ready to let go of Philippe Clement, and they have Jesse Marsch as their target to replace him.
Marsch left Leeds United back in February, with the club now officially relegated from the Premier League. Other than Marsch, AS Monaco are also looking at Matthias Jaissle, while Ruud van Nistelrooy is an intriguing option.
Marseille have offered Igor Tudor a new contract, but the Croatian manager has yet to respond, according to local reports from France.
Tudor replaced Jorge Sampaoli at the helm and guided Marseille to a third-place finish this season. He has one year left on his contract, and he has been linked with a move to Juventus, his former club.
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